President Donald Trump has ordered that the entire wall along the U.S.–Mexico border be painted black, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced on Tuesday. Noem said the darker coating is intended to absorb heat, making the steel structure hotter and "even harder for people to climb." She emphasized that the decision was made "specifically at the request of the president." The administration tested black-painted sections near Calexico, California, during Trump’s first term before shifting resources to expedite wall construction elsewhere. A 2020 contractor assessment estimated that painting the full barrier could cost as much as $3 billion, depending on the type of paint selected. Noem added that the Department of Homeland Security will also install additional cameras and sensors on the barrier as part of a broader plan to deter illegal crossings, but she did not provide a timeline for completing the repainting work.